PATIENT SAFETY
Post-decannulation wound dressing first
A revolutionary post-decannulation tracheostomy wound dressing, developed by three UK clinicians, is improving patient control, enhancing voice quality and reducing the need for dressing re-application.
Clinicians from Addenbrooke’s Hospital, which is part of the Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust, developed a ground-breaking dressing after being unhappy there were no specifically designed dressings for post-decannulation tracheostomy wounds. With the support of Bristol-based medical device company P3 Medical and the Health Enterprise East (HEE), they were able to commercialise their idea and create a product that is now helping thousands of people across the UK and beyond. The Clinical Services Journal spoke to one of the clinical developers, tracheostomy nurse consultant, Claudia Russell, to find out where the idea came from and how the product was brought to market. “Temporary tracheostomies are used in many areas of surgery and anaesthesia for short-term respiratory support,” said Claudia. “Once a patient has been decannulated, or had their tube removed, it is important that the tracheostomy wounds heal as quickly as possible as any delay could prove problematic. We needed a dressing that enhanced healing and also allowed the patient to communicate, but sadly this type of dressing just didn’t exist.” As part of her role Claudia oversees tracheostomies from insertion to removal, wound healing and discharge. It was during her day-to-day routine that she realised that there weren’t any specific dressings available, so like a lot of other clinicians in the country, she used a DIY dressing made from different components combined together.
(From left to right) Mr Malcolm Cameron, consultant maxillofacial surgeon; Claudia Russell, nurse consultant in tracheostomy management; Simon Talbot, managing director P3 Medical; Dr Basil Matta, associate medical director, Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Stuart Thomson, head of medical technology, HEE
Practically this solution worked, however it meant that it was someone’s job after every procedure to put the dressing together each time which took extra time and used items that weren’t actually designed to be used in this way. Working with her colleagues, Mr Malcolm Cameron and Mr Luke Cascarini, both consultant maxillofacial surgeons, the trio designed their very own dressing used
Once a patient has been decannulated, or had their tube removed, it is important that the tracheostomy wounds heal as quickly as possible as any delay
could prove problematic. Claudia Russell, nurse consultant in tracheostomy management.
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specifically for post-removal of the tracheotomy tube.
Armed with concept drawings the clinicians worked with Health Enterprise East (HEE), a regional NHS Innovation Hub, to turn their ideas into a commercial product. “We had no idea where to start or what the process was to turn our dressings into a product that clinicians could use in hospitals,” admitted Claudia. “The HEE were fantastic as they gave us advice on patents and design rights and funded prototyping and proof of concept designs. They also helped to find a suitable licensee and negotiated the licence terms which has allowed for the delivery of the product to market. “The HEE had worked with P3 Medical on a previous project and knew that they specialised in working with clinicians to develop cost-effective solutions which enhance hospital efficiencies and patient
NOVEMBER 2018
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